cancer mesothelioma

Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma cancer most commonly develops in the lungs of people exposed to asbestos.

Effective treatments are available to ease symptoms and improve your prognosis.

Mesothelioma is a rare cancer that is caused almost exclusively by exposure to asbestos. It can affect the thin, protective membrane surrounding the lungs, heart or abdominal cavity. An estimated 3,000 cases annually are diagnosed in the United States, and the majority of those are traced to an occupational exposure.

Although the use of asbestos has been reduced dramatically in recent decades, the incidence of mesothelioma has remained steady. It can take anywhere from 20 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos before obvious symptoms appear and a definitive diagnosis is made. While there still is no cure - and the prognosis is typically poor - significant progress has been made in recent years regarding treatment options and various alternative therapies.

How Asbestos Causes Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma cancer develops after exposure to asbestos, which most often occurs in the workplace – in industrial settings, shipyards, auto repair shops, old houses, schools and public buildings. It takes long-term exposure to make someone at risk, but heavy, short-term asbestos exposure is known to cause mesothelioma cancer.

Microscopic asbestos fibers are breathed in or swallowed. The human body has difficulty destroying or getting rid of these fibers. Over decades, the fibers cause biological changes that result in inflammation, scarring and genetic damage. The most susceptible area to these fibers is the lining of the lungs, called the pleura, although fibers also can become trapped in the lining of the abdominal cavity (peritoneum). Once fibers cause biological damage, the stage is set for a 20- to 50-year latency period for malignant mesothelioma to develop.

Types and Symptoms

Pleural mesothelioma is the most common type of mesothelioma, representing about 75 percent of cases. Peritoneal mesothelioma is the second most common type, consisting of about 10 to 20 percent of cases. Approximately 1 percent of cases are of the pericardial variety. Another rare type known as testicular mesothelioma represents less than 1 percent of cases.